Anacapa Island Light — a lighthouse in Ventura County, California at about 66 m (217 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Channel Islands National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Channel Islands Beach, about 20 km (13 mi) away (Anacapa Island Light lies SW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 14 m (46 ft). It dates from 1912. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Anacapa Island Lighthouse is a lighthouse in California, United States, on the entrance to Santa Barbara Channel, California. Constructed in 1912, it was the last major light station built on the west coast. Anacapa and several other islands were collectively designated as Channel Islands National Monument in 1938, though the Coast Guard retained responsibility for the Anacapa lighthouse. Now fully automated and unmanned, the light house still operates, but the National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for Channel Islands National Park. Anacapa Island is noted now for an environmental restoration program devised by the NPS to exterminate the large population of non-native rats which infested the island and was making significant inroads on native species. The program, which began in 2003, selectively killed off the invaders with few adverse effects on the non-targeted native...From the Wikipedia article “Anacapa Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Anacapa Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 61° ENE | 8:13 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:00 AM | 118° ESE | 4:53 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 53m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 54m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Anacapa Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:35 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:48 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:46 AM – 4:56 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:49 PM – 4:09 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:55 PM – 3:55 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:51 PM – 2:31 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:16 PM – 12:26 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:29 PM – 10:29 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:47 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.58 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (43%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 82 | 83 | 85 | 93 | 99 | 108 | 109 | 106 | 111 | 100 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 35 | 43 | 48 | 50 | 42 | 37 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lighthouse
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Port Hueneme, 21 km (13 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Anacapa Island Light, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural Arch
CanyonCanyon
Cave
Lighthouse
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Anacapa Island880 m · reservable
- Santa Cruz Island Scorpion19.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
- Santa Cruz Island Del Norte Backcountry28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor30 km (19 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Anacapa Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Anacapa Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Anacapa Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Anacapa Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Anacapa Island Light?
How far is Anacapa Island Light from Channel Islands Beach?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.